The present invention relates to a method for cutting at least one workpiece section, in particular aluminum section, which may have been produced in an extrusion press, using a sawing device which, on a frame, is displaced along an X-axis above a conveyor device for workpiece sections, a saw being displaced with respect to the sawing device in an X-direction and/or Y-direction above the conveyor device for workpiece sections, and to a device for carrying out the method.
A wide variety of forms and designs of such methods and devices are known in the prior art. They are primarily used to cut, for example, workpiece sections which have been produced in extrusion presses to length.
Nowadays, modern extrusion presses are able to produce large numbers of workpiece sections extremely quickly. Conventional sawing devices are unable to keep up with the rapid production of workpiece sections in extrusion presses when cutting through the workpiece sections.
A suitable sawing device is connected downstream of a conventional conveyor device. Between extrusion and cutting of the workpiece sections, the latter may pass through various other processes.
A drawback of methods and devices of this nature which are currently known is that to date workpiece sections have been sawn and, in particular, cut through much too slowly. Modern extrusion presses are considerably faster than such devices for cutting workpiece sections to length. Therefore, the workpiece sections are removed from the conveyor devices and are later sawed to length on separate belts, which represents an expensive and undesirable operation.
A further drawback is that precise sawing and exact cutting to length are not possible. If extruded sections which have been cut to length in the correct dimensions were available, manufacturers of certain desired workpiece sections could save additional process costs. In addition, it is also intended for it to be possible for the workpiece sections coming from the belt to be directly cut to length into short pieces.
This object is achieved by the fact that in order to cut at least one workpiece section, at least one saw bench is moved into a conveyor plane of the conveyor device for workpiece sections, the at least one workpiece section then being moved in via the at least one saw bench and then being cut through.
By means of the present invention, a sawing device which can be displaced via a framework element above a conveyor device along a frame can be positioned in a very simple and rapid manner. The sawing device can be displaced in the conveying direction of the conveyor device along preferably ground guide rails between the framework element on which the sawing device is arranged. Drive motors can accurately control and direct a sawing device of this nature.
The sawing device can be displaced in two axes on the framework element. It can be lowered and can be displaced transversely to the conveyor device, and, in particular, transversely to the conveying direction of a workpiece section.
However, the essential feature of the present invention is that a saw bench is moved into the conveyor device as a result of the conveying-roller elements of this device giving way and moving downward. Then, a workpiece section, or even a plurality of workpiece sections, can be moved over the saw bench by being conveyed onward by means of the conveyor device. When the workpiece section has reached a stop, a blank holder, which is preferably provided on the guide columns assigned to the framework element, can be moved downward onto the workpiece section. By means of the blank holder, the workpiece section can be clamped in place with respect to the saw bench which has been lowered into the conveyor device. Subsequently, the saw can be moved downward and the workpiece section cut through in a very precise manner.
For this purpose, it is advantageous if a suitable groove is provided in the saw bench. This groove can be dispensed with, for example, if the saw blade of the saw cuts through the workpiece section outside the bench.
In a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a sawing device is mounted on a holding element in such a manner that it can pivot about a pivot point. Radial pivoting allows the saw to be advanced in or in the opposite direction to a Y-direction of the saw. At the same time, the sawing device can be moved back and forth in the X-direction on the holding element. Pivoting the saw in or pivoting it about an at-rest position results in a radial rotation and therefore in the saw being advanced into the workpiece section. A subsequent displacement in the X-direction results in workpiece sections which are clamped in a blank holder of a saw bench being cut through. After they have been cut through, the return movement of the sawing device in the opposite direction to an X-direction and simultaneous rotation about the pivot point can take place at the same time, in order to pivot the saw, in particular its blade, out of the saw bench.
When the saw blade has been pivoted out, the workpiece section which has been cut to length can immediately be moved out and the next section can be moved in. In this way, it is possible to save considerable manufacturing costs relating to the accurate, precise and rapid cutting.
Furthermore, it is advantageous in the present invention for a plurality of sawing devices which are arranged movably, by means of one framework element each, on a frame above the conveyor device, to cut a workpiece section into a plurality of parts at the same time or at offset intervals. In this case, it is possible to precisely determine the length of individual parts between, for example, two sawing devices.
As a result, a single workpiece section can be divided into any appropriate number of desired parts, for example by providing a plurality of sawing devices, in one operation. This can take place very quickly.